Fit for Life: Its Never Too Late to be Healthy

Healthy Body

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Those who are active as pensioners can stave off major illnesses such as heart disease and dementia. Researchers say being active is the key to preventing serious disease and disability. Regular exercise also bolsters mental health by protecting against depression.

Doireann Maddock, senior cardiac nurse at the British Heart Foundation, said: Adults should try to be active daily and aim for minutes of activities that get you breathing harder and feeling warmer each week. Sustained physical activity was associated with improved healthy ageing. The study, published in the British Journal of Sports Medicine, tracked 3, people with an average age of 64 for more than eight years. Researchers were looking not only at the absence of major disease or disability, but at mental health. This included cognitive dexterity and the ability to maintain social connections and activities.

Across the developed world, doctors rank inactivity alongside smoking, excess drinking and obesity as a leading cause of reduced life expectancy. In the latest study, participants answered detailed questions every two years about the frequency and intensity of their physical activity. Seven out of 10 people who had been active at the start of the study remained so while nearly one in 10 took up regular exercise.

By the end of the study almost four out of 10 had developed a long-term condition while almost two in 10 was depressed. As well as daily exercise to support bone health, she recommends three portions of dairy a day, choosing yoghurt and milk over cheese. Because our ability to burn calories slows further into our 60s, Janis recommends that people look at their portion sizes. It's never too late to start exercising.

It's all about keeping your circulation going. Exercise will help you feel better and keep your energy up. Exercise needn't be all about classes - people can walk to the shops instead of getting in the car," she says. Nikki Bradley 30 ended with a climb up the Sturrall Headland, a sea cliff standing at m tall off the coast of Donegal. The climb was the latest in a long line of physical challenges for Nikki who undertakes the physical feats to raise awareness of the rare bone cancer she was diagnosed with at the age of Nikki, from Letterkenny in Co Donegal, turned to exercise to relieve pain in her body after she was diagnosed with Ewing's sarcoma, which saw part of her hip bone having to be removed.

The radiotherapy caused a lot of damage. In I was told I'd need crutches forever. Since then it's gotten worse and the options available to me now are very limited - I may be facing amputation of my leg.

I'm doing great things because of my experience. Sharing my experience and giving talks and advice is helping others and I find that very fulfilling. The challenges started off as a one-off.

I climbed Muckish Mountain in Donegal in and I learned so much about myself. I could do so much more than I gave myself credit for. Since then I've been rally driving, diving, climbed glaciers in Iceland, and abseiled into a 45ft cave," says Nikki.

Preparation for these events sees Nikki put in a lot of work in the gym to be as physically strong as she can be. In recent times I've upped the ante a bit," she says. My plan for next year is to go bigger and better. I want to increase my fitness and push myself a bit more," says Nikki. Vivienne Doyle crossed the finishing line of the Dublin Marathon a few weeks after she turned It was her first ever marathon but the former Miss Ireland says it won't be her last as the running bug has truly bitten. Vivienne, a mum of four who lives in Hollystown in north Dublin, grew up in Galway City where sport was big in her family.

She ran in primary and secondary school but by the time she went to college her running shoes were not coming out too often. A move to start working with Aer Lingus as part of the cabin crew inspired her to get fit again but she says her running was a big hit and miss even though she enjoyed it. After she got married in and her first child Daniel, now 12, arrived in , Vivienne says she had to make more of a conscious effort to be fit.

Her routine mainly consisted of getting out with the buggy every day for a walk.

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Two years later her daughter Elizabeth, 10, arrived, followed by her sons Stephen, 8, and Harrison, 4, and family life dictated that exercise took more of a back seat. Two years ago Vivienne began to go for short runs with her friend Claire, who lives nearby. It took us a while but then we built ourselves up to 10k," she says. In the last year Harrison is out at playschool and the others are at school and I found myself looking forward to the next run. I'd come back in after a run and I'd feel amazing," says Vivienne. But when I made it to the distance of 10k I started timing myself and I pushed myself a bit more.

I knew I was turning 40 on October 4 and I had it in the back of my mind that I might do a marathon," she says. In October Vivienne ran the half marathon in Galway. Her eldest son Daniel has autism and Vivienne chose to raise money on behalf of the Galway Autism Partnership. I found that really powerful. It was a brilliant feeling to go back to Galway where I grew up and run that day. I was turning 40 the next day so it was all quite emotional," she says. Vivienne got a late entry to the Dublin marathon and while she was nervous, she never really doubted that she would go the distance.

I went really slowly and came in at 4 hours 46 minutes. For me it wasn't about the time, it was about finishing. The atmosphere and the people on the run were amazing. I still have my medal hanging up - I'm so proud of it," she says. Vivienne says she isn't running for weight loss. For me running is about being fit and strong - strong body, strong mind. It comes at a time when I need something for myself. Running makes me feel like I'm being good to myself," she says. Running is my time and my space. It gives me energy to go back to my number one job which is being there for my children," she says.

Now Vivienne plans to start training early for the Dublin marathon. I'm not ruling it out. It's one of my favourite cities in the whole world and to run it and finish the race would be amazing. With a hectic job as director of operations for KBC Bank, Eamonn Tuffy diligently makes time in his week to work out and finds he's fitter now in his 50s than ever before. As a youngster and teenager at home in Ballina, Co Mayo, Eamonn played Gaelic football and did some running, but found that he went backwards when he moved to Dublin as a young man.

I wasn't fat, but I wasn't slim," Eamonn says of his early something self. An invitation to play rugby with a few friends changed his fitness journey and soon he was training first for the Garda Rugby Club and then for Monkstown Rugby Club twice a week, with a match on the weekends. I was always messing with the gym but I was making limited progress.

Entering Your Forties? It's Never Too Late to Get Fit! | Gear and Training

At that time I wouldn't say I was ever really fit - it was as much about a social life as anything else," says Eamonn. Nowadays Eamonn, who is married to Aine and has three children, plays tag rugby a couple of times a week. The "veterans" over 33s team he plays with are currently Leinster champions. In work, he and his colleagues play once a week from April to September.

Three mornings a week Eamonn can be found at the gym. He gets there at 6am and leaves at 6. I'm fitter now than years ago.

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I'm not massively disciplined nor am I obsessed about losing weight. I just want to keep trim," he says. When it comes to food, Eamonn says he pretty much eats as he pleases.

Last year Eamonn had the honour of being selected to play for Ireland over 50s in the Touch Rugby World Cup in Australia, an experience he describes as "fantastic". It will counteract any normal stresses. I forget about everything else when I'm training - it really is so important. I think I have got a bit more obsessive about it as I've got older.

I particularly see the benefits now. The last time I visited my doctor, he said 'whatever you're doing, keep doing it'. It's a great endorsement. It is hard work but it's hugely enjoyable," says Eamonn. Now in her 60s, she trains at the gym four days a week and sees it as part of her daily life. The mum of four grown-up children from Blackrock in Dublin, used to swim during her lunch hour when she worked for Guinness.

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That was a habit she continued after she got married and she was swimming up to the day before each of her children was born. However, when she got to the age of 40, she was finding it a bit more difficult to keep the weight off and began to look at different ways of keeping fit. Around that time she found step aerobics and made her first visit to a gym. In Joan had surgery in her back to relieve a spinal disc problem. In she had further surgery on her lower back, and was told she could never do any impact exercise again.

It was a blow, but Joan turned to the gym to see if it could help relieve the pain she was feeling. I get up, have breakfast, put on my gear and go to the gym. I do a bit of stretching and a mixture of machines and free weights. My best friend would go to the gym too. Six years ago Joan started acting — in the run up to Christmas she had two auditions. The ill effects of being unfit are now well documented but despite the message of lifestyle and exercise for health, not everyone is listening. Being physically unfit has a profound impact on our health, according to Professor Donal O'Shea, consultant endocrinologist and physician based in St Vincent's University Hospital and St Columcille's Hospital.

He says we must lay down good foundations in terms of being active when we are young to reap the benefits into our old age. It's linked to cancer, heart disease and dementia and low self-esteem. But it's never too late to start getting active," says Professor O'Shea.

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